This year my plan is to pretend I am an ostrich, striding effortlessly along side my nut job partner, my head bobbing happily atop my long, soft, downy neck. I am matching the other runners, stride for stride, my feathers ruffling gracefully in the wind.

My real running partner (Nut Job #1) will keep me on track with our speed, distance and hill workouts, but sometimes you need an ace in the whole (or an ostrich in your head).

So, through the rain, the wind, and the Bond Lake hills, my partner and I will reach our goals together. He, through being a driven nut job (see picture on the left), and me, through being an ostrich.

That's my plan.

And you know, there's nothing quite like the smell of wet ostrich feathers at the end of a long run.